A New Look For LAist, And Our Renewed Commitment To You

I’m Megan Garvey, LAist executive editor, and I really hope you noticed our beautiful new website that went live last week.

There’s no question that the updated look of LAist marks a massive leap forward from the ancient platform we inherited in 2018, when we saved LAist from going extinct. Most importantly, it reflects our forward-thinking, community-focused approach to local reporting — from answering your questions to delivering daily news and award-winning investigations.

Our new site reaffirms our commitment to invest in journalism that matters to you. And, in turn, we are asking you to invest in us. Original, quality reporting isn’t cheap. Please take a moment right now to support this endeavor, because without your support, LAist could disappear again.

It’s no secret that local journalism has taken a heavy hit in recent years — across the nation and, yes, here in Southern California. The ad revenue that used to keep local papers robust has dried up. Newsrooms across the nation are shrinking and disappearing, leaving communities uninformed and those in positions of authority unchecked.

Megan Garvey, executive editor

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LAist

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I believe the answer lies in non-profit, public media newsrooms like ours. You’ll never hit a paywall on LAist because we believe that quality journalism shouldn’t just be available to people who can afford pricey subscriptions. That's why we’re asking those who can give to step up to keep this service free for everyone.

Being completely transparent with you, we have not yet seen the support from readers that is needed to sustain important local journalism on the web. We’ve experienced a huge growth in readership, but not nearly enough of our readers have stepped up to support our non-profit model with a donation.

We have faith that will change. Why? Because we have seen community members sustain strong local journalism in our newsroom. Our journalists report on the radio at 89.3 KPCC, and our KPCC members make up our largest and most reliable source of funding.

I believe we can see the same level of support from our LAist readers.

We know that with your support we can sustain a vibrant local news operation powered by independent journalism. Over the last year:

• We've made sense of byzantine pandemic shutdown orders and walked you step-by-step through making vaccine appointments.
• We've invited you to share your experiences in our Race in LA series, and our journalists have shared their own.
• We've uncovered a massive real estate empire where tenants often endure squalor and dangerous conditions.
• We've investigated a nursing home owner and operator with a long history of failing residents, and are seeking answers from the state as to why that person is still allowed to operate those homes.
• We've reported on traffic violence and asked why more hasn't been done to make Southern California roads safer.

There are too many other important and interesting stories to list. Our journalists are mission-driven and care deeply about serving the community. And please know that we are doing our best to approach journalism differently and center your needs and questions, while we do our best to explain L.A.

I'm asking you to think about the service we have provided to you and put a value on it. Don’t assume someone else will give: if you are in a position to donate, please do your part now. Your gift today during our Spring Member Drive will go a long way toward keeping this journalism free and accessible for all, not hidden behind paywalls or subscriptions. Your gift sends an important message that this kind of journalism is crucial and it allows countless others in your community to access high-quality reporting.

To encourage your support, when you make a gift in any amount, you’ll be automatically entered to win an iPad Pro. I hope you’ll take a moment today to support the great work we do and help improve your community by strengthening this vital resource.